New Delhi|HL
In the country daily there is an increase in omicron cases has been seen the Union Health Ministry has written to all states and Union Territories to build up their health infrastructure and step up vigilance against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Saturday.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare asked states to prepare for a third wave, without saying it in as many words. The letter, dated January 1, 2022 and signed by Union Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, comes in the wake up 16,764 cases reported across India on December 31, 2021 the highest ever single-day rise in the past 70 days.
To tackle a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, the Centre advised all states and Union territories to initiate the process of setting up makeshift hospitals and to constitute special teams to monitor patients in home isolation.
States were told to take help from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the private sector, corporations, and NGOs, as needed. “This will aid the process of rapid creation of field hospitals or temporary hospital set-ups. States may also consider leveraging hotel rooms and other accommodations linked with the COVID-dedicated hospitals,” the letter stated.
States were also told to have a proper plan to home isolate patients and a robust mechanism to follow-up and shift them to a health facility, as required. “Special teams be constituted to monitor all home isolation cases, call centres/control rooms must aid outbound calling for monitoring such patients and ensuring that all such cases can be shifted to an appropriate health facility through dedicated ambulances,it was said in the letter.
